Page:Edgar Wallace - The Man who Knew.djvu/120

 He sipped his tea with a twinkle in his eye.

"Guess what income the heir of the Minute millions enjoys?" he asked ironically. "No, I 'll save you the agony of guessing. I earn seven pounds a week at the bank, and that is the whole of my income."

"But does n't uncle—" she began in surprise.

"Not a bob," replied Frank vulgarly; "not half a bob."

"But—"

"I know what you're going to say; he treats you generously. I know. He treats me justly. Between generosity and justice, give me generosity all the time. I will tell you something else. He pays Jasper Cole a thousand a year! It 's very curious, is n't it?"

She leaned over and patted his arm.

"Poor boy," she said sympathetically, "that does n't make it any easier—Jasper, I mean."

Frank indulged in a little grimace, and said:

"By the way, I saw the mysterious Jasper this morning—coming out of the Waterloo